To preserve food for more than 24 hours, you will need to use a combination of ice chunks and ice chips. The chips help with immediate cooling, and the chunks keep your food fresh over a longer period of time. According to our research and experiments, ideally, a cooler, by volume, should have twice igloo trailmate as much ice or ice packs inside of it as it does food. Extra features, such as an exterior pocket for carrying utensils are a plus, but not at the cost of cooling capability or durability. However, this Orca soft cooler is a direct and more affordable alternative to our best upgrade pick.
One potential issue, especially when transporting for lunch, is the cooler leaked a bit from the zipper. Four tie-down points on the cooler will help with that during transport in a vehicle.
Performance issues aside, this Coleman soft cooler is easy to store and easy to carry, and a fine soft cooler option for day trips or hikes. In terms of keeping things cold, this Coleman soft cooler fell to the back of the pack of the soft coolers we tested. Our sensors showed us it warmed up to 40°F after just 26 hours, which places the Coleman in the bottom half of the coolers we tested. Our major gripe with the Hydro Flask soft cooler is that it’s less comfortable to carry for long periods of time. The shoulder strap is fine, but the handles are on the thin side and lack padding.
Among hard coolers, a 70-quart size is big enough for a variety of tasks. Another example came up last year during a power outage, as one of our staff members was able to store most of the contents of a fridge in a 70-quart cooler, along with the necessary ice to keep it cold. By measuring meltwater, we can produce data that illustrates the relative performance of insulation between coolers over time. For example, after five days, the Coleman Xtreme retained 11 more pounds of ice than the Igloo MaxCold did. That translates to the Coleman Xtreme being 20% more efficient than the Igloo MaxCold overall in ice retention during the same time period.
We also found the cooler very easy to load and unload with a well-executed, zipper-equipped opening that’s wide, fully leakproof, and provides nearly uncompromised access to food and beverages. A final highlight is the accessory-ready exterior, which allows you to easily connect add-ons like their Rambler Bottle Sling or SideKick Dry Gear Case (sold separately). The benefits of a soft cooler are flexibility, lighter weight, and portability compared to hard coolers.
Traditional hard-sided coolers lead the charge in ice retention and durability, but for those who don’t need a week’s worth of cold food and drinks, a soft-sided cooler can be a viable alternative. Compared to hard models, soft coolers are considerably lighter, easier to carry, and often save you a good deal of cash. From burly waterproof options to packable designs igloo soft cooler that collapse down for easy storage, below we break down the top soft coolers of 2023. For more background information, check out our detailed comparison table and buying advice below the picks. If you’re less concerned about portability and instead prioritize cooling capabilities and durability, we’ve also compiled a list of the best hard-sided coolers.